Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Companys weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week here.
AI Slop summer is here
AI image and video generation tools have gone mainstream, with millions creating content and using them on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Social networks such as Facebook and Pinterest are also seeing a surge in AI-generated posts. Meta is actively promoting this trend, as AI content is easy to produce and often drives higher engagement, creating more opportunities to sell ads.
Much of the AI-generated content is what critics call AI sloplow-quality material often produced by low-wage workers in developing countries aiming to harvest clicks on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. This content frequently spreads further via messaging apps like WhatsApp and is often political in nature. One growing genre features right-wing fantasy videos portraying acts of revenge or defiance by MAGA figures such as Donald Trump or Pam Bondi. These are typically just still images with overlaid textclearly fictional. (Left-leaning versions exist too, though they more often rely on real footage, such as Jamie Raskin or Jasmine Crockett dismantling Republican talking points in Congress.)
AI-generated content is also increasingly surfacing in search results, often pushing aside higher-quality human-created material. E-commerce platforms like Amazon are flooded with AI-generated product descriptions, user reviews, and even entire books. Some news organizations have started publishing AI-written articles, especially in sports and news roundupsmany riddled with inaccuracies. Recently, the Chicago Sun-Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer unintentionally ran book list inserts featuring AI-generated descriptions of books that dont actually exist.
Right now, much of the AI-generated content online can still be distinguished from genuinely human-made material. Take, for example, a viral AI video from April that depicted overweight U.S. factory workers (a satire of Trumps tariff policies). It looked fairly realistic but still gave off that unmistakable generated vibe. Still, the line is blurring fast. Consider the recent viral clip of an Australian woman trying to pass airport security with her service kangaroo. It racked up over a million likes before it was revealed to be AI-generated. Some viewers saw through itmany did not. The video proved that with a semi-plausible premise and decent AI tools, the boundary between real and fake can dissolve entirely.
Its not hard to see where this is going. Googles new Veo 3 video generation tool is a case in point: The sample videos are alarmingly realistic. Time recently showed how these tools can create convincing deepfakes of political riots and election fraud. AI-generated content has been advancing for years, but we may have arrived at a moment where even videoonce the hardest medium to fakecan no longer be trusted.
With more powerful tools and social platforms eager to boost engagement, were likely heading toward a web saturated with AI-generated content. And when anything can be fake, everything becomes suspect. Are we ready for the zero-trust internet?
Reddit sues Anthropic over AI training data
The social platform Reddit says the AI company Anthropic has used content created by Reddit users to train AI models in ways that violate its policies. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in a San Francisco court, Reddit accused Anthropic of using users posts without permission, causing harm to the platform.
AI companies rely heavily on information stores like Reddit to train the large language models that power popular chatbots such as ChatGPT and Anthropics Claude. Reddit is seen as a particularly valuable resource because it holds millions of human-to-human conversations across thousands of topics, spanning the past two decades. The conversations are not only valuable for their content, but for how authentically they reflect the way people write and speak. No wonder Reddit cofounder and CEO Steve Huffman calls it the most human place on the internet.
And content licensing for AI training is a big and growing business for the platform. Reddits shares on the New York Stock Exchange finished the day up more than 7% after news of the lawsuit broke Wednesday. The company has already formed content licensing agreements with Google and OpenAI (Sam Altman is a major shareholder in Reddit). Its possible that the lawsuit was filed after Reddit and Anthropic failed to come to terms on a content licensing agreement.
Reddit certainly isn’t the first content company to sue a well-funded AI lab for alleged misuse of data. OpenAI, Perplexity, Google, and others have all been the target of legal actions related to training data. Many of these cases center on the question of whether or not data thats publicly available on the internet falls under the fair use safe harbor of the Copyright Act, rendering it fair game for AI training.
Trumps foreign student ban: a master class in the art of the self-own
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that the U.S. will begin revoking visas for visiting Chinese students, including those in “critical fields, and will tighten visa requirements for future applicants. The Trump administration repeatedly claims it wants America to win the global AI race, while being openly hostile to the very brains that could help the U.S. achieve that goal.
Research from the National Foundation for American Policy shows that two-thirds (66%) of U.S.-based AI startups have immigrant cofounders, and 55% of billion-dollar startups were founded or cofounded by immigrants. Meanwhile, other countries are rolling out the red carpet. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology offered guaranteed admission to any Harvard international student. Germany and Ireland are courting current and prospective Harvard students. China, too.
As AI impacts talent needs, foreign students will be needed to fill demand. Because AI coding assistants are significantly increasing the productivity of individual engineers, big tech companies are investing less in entry-level programmers (and more in GPUs and data centers). CEO Satya Nadella says 20% to 30% of Microsoft code is now AI-generated, and that he expects that rate to grow to 95% by 2030. Tech companies will likely need people with PhDs or other graduate-level degrees to fill more specialized roles such as those responsible for training and steering AI models.
And that talent pool isnt big enough. International graduate students with advanced technical skills are more valuable than ever. The Administration is signaling a retreat from the global competition for AI talent.
More AI coverage from Fast Company:
With its Samsung deal, Perplexity could be headed to the big leagues
Jeffrey Katzenberg bets big on AI video ads with his investment in Creatify
How to use AI to find your next job
Music giants begin negotiating AI licensing rights for labels and artists
Want exclusive reporting and trend analysis on technology, business innovation, future of work, and design? Sign up for Fast Company Premium.
Nintendo is not known for existing on the bleeding edge of technology. In fact, most of its 21st-century success has been built around the opposite of that idea; the Wii and DS were both much less powerful than their competition, yet each proved to be more popular with a mainstream audience. The hybrid Switch, meanwhile, was impressive for a handheld machine when it was released, but when hooked up to a TV it was soundly outgunned by the PlayStation 4let alone the 5.
On paper, the Switch 2 doesnt do much to change that. Its still a less capable console than the PS5, even though its coming out more than four years later. But now that its finally in my hands, Im struck by how up-to-date it feels. The gaming landscape has changed since the original Switch, with the handheld market growing in size and diversityand you could make a case that on some levels, Nintendo now has the most advanced hardware.
Functionality and pragmatism
The Switch 2 is a fascinating system for Nintendo, mostly because its so straightforward. This is the first time Nintendo has ever straight-up released a Console 2, let alone one so similar to its predecessor. Its an exercise in functionality and pragmatism, with nips and tucks across the board.
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The new Joy-Con controllers look similar to before but are an immediate improvement from the second you hold them. The curvier design is much more comfortable, and the way they snap onto the system magnetically is a lot less fussy; they also feel more securely attached. Time will tell if the analog sticks prove more durable, but for now the extra size and throw is appreciated.
[Photo: Nintendo]
Point of contention
The screen will be a point of contention. Its a 7.9-inch 120Hz 1080p LCD panel with support for VRR and HDR, which is an upgrade in most respects except for the LCD part. Nintendo did go out of its way to release an OLED version of the original Switch, so the return to a conventionally backlit LCD panel does feel like a step back in terms of contrast.
On the other hand, its actually a pretty great LCD for what it is. The HDR support was never going to compare with a high-end TV with local dimming, but games like Mario Kart World clearly show how Nintendo is making the most of the wider color gamut. I would compare the experience to watching HDR movies on a good LCD tablet like an iPad Air. Its streets ahead of the screens in the original Switch or the Steam Deck.
Yes, I would have preferred an OLED panel. But the boosts here to size, resolution, and refresh rate are real, and there isnt really another gaming device out there with a directly comparable display.
Advanced graphics
The Switch 2 has, of course, been in the works for a long time, and thats reflected in the silicon that powers it. We know that the Nvidia-designed system-on-chip is manufactured by Samsung on its somewhat outdated 8nm process, the same technology behind Nvidias RTX 3000-series GPUs.
In a video released this week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the Switch 2s SoC is unlike anything weve built before and has the most advanced graphics ever in a mobile device. I have a feeling Apple might take issue with that claim, but it was likely true when Nintendo and Nvidia started collaborating on the console.
More to the point, the Switch 2 will obviously shred an iPhone in practice. Ive enjoyed playing the occasional ambitious ports to Apples platforms as a technical exercise, like Death Stranding and Resident Evil 4, but its hard to imagine the iPhone 16 Pro ever getting a better version of Cyberpunk 2077 than the Switch 2 version I just spent a couple of hours with. Its a hugely impressive port that runs at 40fps in its performance mode while looking dramatically sharper than the PC version on my Steam Deck.
The Switch 2 is less powerful than competing home consoles, of course, but its the overall package that impresses. Although the screen size has increased, this is still a relatively thin and light device that turns in excellent performance compared to much bulkier PC-based handhelds. Its the payoff for Nintendo going all-in on ARM-based hardware nearly a decade ago.The biggest trade-off is the battery life; you shouldnt expect more than two to three hours of endurance when playing demanding games. But thats comparable to a lot of PC handhelds, and Nintendo and Nvidia will likely be able to eke out more efficiency in future models by switching to a newer manufacturing process.
TV connection
Even when connected to a TV, the Switch 2 feels like a modern system, with its 4K UI and snappy loading times thanks to the faster flash storage. Its a huge quality upgrade on its predecessor, which was stuck with 720p menus and a torturously slow online store.
Of course, that original Switch also felt quite advanced for the time upon its launch. It was based around Nvidias Tegra X1 chip, which failed to get much traction in tablets but turned out to be a great fit for a handheld gaming device. It had the advantage of a brand new form factor and the ability to run games that no one had ever imagined could be taken on the go.
But as a portable machine it was clunky, and as a home console there was a much bigger gap between it and its competitors. Occasional miracle ports like The Witcher 3 or Doom Eternal aside, the Switch generally made do with a separate library of software. These days, though, developers are used to scaling games down to less capable machines, whether its the Steam Deck, the PS4, or the Xbox Series S.
The Switch 2 will have a better shot at running a lot of the software that comes to high-end hardware. It still isnt going to be the platform of choice for hardcore gaming enthusiastsno handheld ever will. But I do think its the first Nintendo system that feels like a refine device at the top of its class on day one.
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After nine long years, McDonalds has finally announced the revival of the Snack Wrap, one of its most belovedand most copieddiscontinued menu items. To herald the wraps return, the brand made an entire digital archive dedicated to documenting fans fervor for the Snack Wrap.
The wrap returns after a number of other fast food chains, including Burger King, Wendys, Chic-fil-A, and, most recently, Popeyes, have made their own dupes of the item in its absence. McDonalds’ attempt to reclaim its Snack Wrap dominance comes as the company continues to face difficult financial headwinds; reporting its second consecutive quarter of sales declines in its first-quarter financial report on May 1. Now, the company is betting on fans Snack Wrap nostalgia to score a boost this summer.
[Photo: McDonald’s]
On McDonalds’ official website, a cryptic official statement from Joe Erlinger, McDonalds USA president, simply reads, Its back. Accompanying the statement, though, is the link to a website called the Snack Wrap Files thats a wealth of Snack Wrap-based information. Per the site, the Snack Wrap will be made with McDonalds’ McCrispy Strips in two flavors: ranch or spicy. It will be available as a combo meal and, at last, it has secured a spot as a permanent menu item.
The Snack Wrap Files also serves another purpose: The site, which has a simple, early web vibe, is an archive dedicated to all of the times that McDonalds fans have yearned for the Snack Wrap since 2016.
[Screenshot: McDonald’s]
It’s back.
According to its FAQ section, the Snack Wrap Files was created to highlight the bond fans have with the Snack Wrap.
The Snack Wrap was phased out nationally in 2016, but it never left fans hearts, the website reads. From countless social media posts to full-fledged petitions, they never gave up on their favorite menu item. Theyre the ones who inspired us to make its return to the menu happen.
And McDonalds is dedicated to spinning that return into a dramatic, full-blown campaign. Currently, there are 10 folders on the Snack Wrap Files site, three of which are unlocked for public viewing. A countdown at the top of the page marks the time remaining before the other seven files are unlocked. In the Media Materials folder, users can find official photos of the new Snack Wrap and FAQs about its return. Under BTS, they can take a peek behind the curtain at McDonalds’ creative team poring over Snack Wrap ad materials. But The Fandom folder is where the site really shines.
[Screenshot: McDonald’s]
Within this section, the McDonalds team has compiled a highlight reel of fans most fervent pleas for the Snack Wraps return. Some are on the tamer side, like an email that reads, Is it true youre bringing back the Snack Wrap??!! I will be so excited!!!!!! and another sharing, In fact I am 13 weeks pregnant and my biggest craving is something I cant have. I am due July 14th, 2025. Will snack wraps be back before then? Please just give me a hint.
Others take a more desperate tone. Where is the snack wrap. You guys promised me 2025, it is 2025. I do not see the snack wrap. Please get back to me, this is an important matter, reads one inquiry. When the snack wraps are dropped Im going to do a challenge where I try and eat 1,000 in a calendar year, another says. If I record myself and post it on tik tok or something will you give me a reward?
[Screenshot: McDonald’s]
One emailer resorted to a direct threat: I hope youre not playing with our emotions because I swear to god the people of the US will riot if you pull the rug from underneath us! Whew.
In three days, 23 hours, and 40 minutes (at the time of this writing), the Snack Wrap File’ cryptic “Reaction Clips,” “Merch Concepts,” “Internal Emails,” “Promo Codes,” “Playlist,” “Voice Note,” and “Credits” folders will be unlocked.
Six weeks before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down outside a Manhattan hotel in December, suspect Luigi Mangione mused about rebelling against “the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel” and said killing the executive “conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming,” prosecutors revealed Wednesday.The Manhattan district attorney’s office quoted extensively from Mangione’s handwritten diaryhighlighting his desire to kill an insurance honcho and praise for Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomberas they fight to uphold his state murder charges. They also cited a confession they say he penned “To the feds,” in which he wrote that “it had to be done.”Mangione’s lawyers want the state case thrown out, arguing in court papers that those charges and a parallel federal death penalty case amount to double jeopardy.They also want state terrorism charges dismissed, have asked for the federal case to go first and say prosecutors should be barred from using evidence collected during Mangione’s arrest, including a 9mm handgun, statements to police and the diary.Manhattan prosecutors contend that there are no double jeopardy issues because neither case has gone to trial and because the state and federal prosecutions involve different legal theories.His lawyers say that has created a “legal quagmire” that makes it “legally and logistically impossible to defend against them simultaneously.”The state charges, which carry a maximum of life in prison, allege that Mangione wanted to “intimidate or coerce a civilian population,” that is, insurance employees and investors. The federal charges allege that Mangione stalked an individual, Thompson, and do not involve terror allegations.Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty in both cases. No trial dates have been set.Mangione’s “intentions were obvious from his acts, but his writings serve to make those intentions explicit,” prosecutors said in Wednesday’s filing. The writings, which they sometimes described as a manifesto, “convey one clear message: that the murder of Brian Thompson was intended to bring about revolutionary change to the healthcare industry.”They quoted excerpts in which Mangione discussed options for the attack, such as bombing UnitedHealthcare’s headquarters, before deciding to target the company’s investor conference in Manhattan. He wrote about plans to “wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention” because it was “targeted, precise and doesn’t risk innocents.”UnitedHealthcare, the largest U.S. health insurer, “literally extracts human life force for money,” Mangione wrote, envisioning the news headline, “Insurance CEO killed at annual investors conference.”The company has said he was never a client.Mangione is due back in state court June 26, when Judge Gregory Carro is expected to rule on his request for dismissal.His lawyers asked Tuesday for his handcuffs and bulletproof vest to be removed during the hearing. They called him a “a model prisoner, a model defendant” and said the security measures would suggest to potential jurors that he is dangerous. Carro has not ruled on that.Mangione’s next federal court date is Dec. 5, a day after the one-year anniversary of Thompson’s death.Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind as he arrived for the conference Dec. 4 at the New York Hilton Midtown. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.Mangione was arrested Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) to the west, and he is being held in a federal jail in Brooklyn.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has called the ambush “a killing that was intended to evoke terror.”U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in April that she was directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for “an act of political violence” and a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”The killing and ensuing search for Mangione rattled the business community while galvanizing health insurance critics who rallied around him as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty bills. Supporters have flocked to his court appearances and flooded him with mail.Mangione “demonstrated in his manifesto that he was a revolutionary anarchist who would usher in a better healthcare system by killing the CEO” of one of the biggest U.S. companies, prosecutors wrote. “This brutal, cowardly murder was the mechanism that defendant chose to bring on that revolution.”
Michael R. Sisak, Associated Press
Eager customers lined up outside electronics stores in Tokyo hours in advance to collect their preordered Nintendo Switch 2 video game consoles.The much anticipated Switch 2, being released around the world Thursday, is an upgrade to its eight-year-old predecessor with new social features meant to draw players into online gaming. Nintendo is counting on the Switch 2 to boost sagging sales.In the U.S., a chaotic preorder process in April left some fans frustrated after the consoles quickly sold out.In Japan, the new consoles were sold through a competitive lottery system that Nintendo said got about 2.2 million applications.Outside the official draw, some retailers offered their own lotteries to preorder the devices.Koji Takahashi was among those who missed out on the official draw but he was selected in the second round of a lottery held by a major electronics retailer in Japan.He was first in line waiting outside the store, arriving four hours ahead of its opening. He hoped to secure a limited supply of Nintendo accessories to buy along with his preordered Switch 2.“I feel very sorry for those who weren’t successful in the lottery. But I also had tough time getting this far, so I hope they forgive me!” Takahashi said.The new console comes with a larger and higher resolution screen than its predecessor, with improved processing power, offering smoother and more vivid graphics.Nintendo has said it expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year through March 2026.The company has promised to roll out attractive software for the Switch 2 later this year, including “The Legend of Zelda” games, a Pokemon title and a Kirby game, as well as offerings from outside software companies.Nintendo is capitalizing on the launch with the opening of a store in San Francisco and the Super Nintendo World amusement facility in Orlando, Florida, both set for this month.The Switch 2’s rollout arrives at an uncertain time for much of the gaming industry due to new tariffs implemented by U.S. President Donald Trump.In the U.S., the Switch 2’s baseline launch price is $449.99significantly higher than the original Switch’s $299 price tag.U.S. preorders for the Switch 2 were delayed for several weeks so the company could assess the potential impact of tariffs.
Ayaka McGill, Associated Press
While images of wildfires capture their ferocity, data can provide insight into how bad a fire season is.Such is the case with two graphics, powered by satellite data, that showcase a Canadian wildfire season off to a wildand scarystart.Twice a day a NASA satellite sends images to the ground, giving a real-time view of where fires are burning. This is especially useful for remote areas where no sensors are stationed.
As of Tuesday that satellite had picked up four times as many fire hot spots across Canada than is typical for early June. That’s more than any year since the satellite began transmitting in 2012, except 2023, according to data from Global Forest Watch.Though the satellite has recorded thousands of hot spots so far this year, that does not mean there are actually that many active fires. Each hot spot could be detected repeatedly over the course of days. And because each detection is about the size of 26 football fields, it can represent part of a much larger blaze, said James MacCarthy, wildfire research manager at Global Forest Watch.Based on data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, about 200 fires are actively burning in Canada and have consumed about 7,700 square miles (19,900 square kilometers) of terrain, most of it in the last week.
[Screenshot: CIFFC]
Only 2023 saw such high numbers so early in Canada’s fire season, which runs from April through October. That year wildfires burned a record 67,000 square milesmore than twice the surface area of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes.Taken together, the hot spots and acres burned mean 2025 is the second-worst start to the season in years.“A warm and dry finish to May and early June has created a significant fire season,” said Liam Buchart, a fire weather specialist with the Canadian Forest Service.The weather conditions are made more likely by climate change and encourage wildfires to start. That means even though 90% of wildfires in Manitoba this year have been human-caused, according to the provincial government, climate change helps enable their spread.“Climate change is creating the conditions that make it more likely that human-caused fires are going to spread, or even start,” MacCarthy said. “It might be a human starting it, but it’s going to spread quickly because now there’s hot and dry conditions that are occurring more frequently and more intensely than they have in the past.”The hot and dry weather is likely to to continue for at least the next week across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, according to Natural Resources Canada. The agency’s forecasts also call for “a warmer and drier than normal July and August for large portions of Canada,” Buchart said.“The remainder of the fire season looks to remain above normal, especially over the northern prairie provinces and southern British Columbia,” he said.
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
M.K. Wildeman, Associated Press
A typical EV charger in the U.S. is a bulky, 6-foot-tall box in a parking lot. In Germany, a startup is rolling out a new type of charger that looks very different: Called the Curb Charger, it fits seamlessly inside a curb at the edge of a street.
The Curb Charger upgrades existing urban infrastructure and adds hardly any additional street furniture to cities, says Felix Stracke, vice president of new mobility at Rheinmetall, the company that designed the charger. (Rheinmetalls primary business is defense manufacturingthe $80 billion company is the largest arms manufacturer in Germanybut it diversified into EV charging when it saw the opportunity for growth.)
For an apartment dweller who parks their car on the street, having curbside charging suddenly makes it much easier to own an EV. Instead of driving to a store and waiting while the car charges, its possible to plug in overnight or when the car would otherwise be parked for hours. It also makes slow charging feasible, which helps EV batteries last longer and is less of a strain on the grid.
[Photo: Rheinmetall]
Larger chargers dont necessarily fit well on a curb. On a narrow sidewalk, they can take up too much space; they’re at more risk of vandalism; they can also block views and change the visual identity of a historic neighborhood. But the scaled-down design of the new chargers is nearly invisible. That invisibility is also a challenge, since drivers can’t quickly spot a charger. But an app can be deployed to direct someone to the nearest charging point.
Other companies have taken different approaches to curbside charging, including making chargers that double as streetlights or packaging them in a sleek box that looks better than a conventional charger and is easier to install.
[Photo: Rheinmetall]
The Curb Charger sits inside a case that’s exactly the same size as a standard German curb. (The size can be adjusted for other locations.) It’s strong enough that a heavy truck can drive over it, and its waterproof, so the system can keep working in heavy rain. Drivers activate it through an app or by scanning a QR code. It does require that drivers have their own charging cord, though that’s standard in Europe.
Rheinmetall says the equipment doesn’t cost more than a conventional charging station, and the small size means that installation can be simpler and cost less. If a charger needs repair, the charging module can be swapped out, making maintenance less expensive as well. When streets have major repairs, they could potentially be rebuilt with the hollow curb cases, ready to add the charging equipment as needed.
In a yearlong pilot in the city of Cologne, the chargers were used nearly 3,000 times through all weather conditions, staying online 99% of the time. Users gave them high ratings. Now, Rheinmetall is scaling up production and beginning new installations in other cities.
Sports-bar chain Hooters has abruptly closed a number of locations across multiple states as its bankruptcy process continues.
The restaurant closures come just over two months after Hooters of America, LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. At the time, the company did not announce any closures but said it was reviewing its “operational footprint.”
Heres what you need to know about the latest Hooters restaurant closures.
Which Hooters locations have closed?
At least 23 Hooters restaurants appear to have recently closed, according to a Fast Company review of pre-recorded phone messages and Google listings. The locations have also been removed from the store locator tool on the Hooters website. The list was reported earlier by USA Today. The closures impact Hooters’ locations in at least 12 states.
Florida
Sanford
Orlando (Kirkman Road)
Kissimmee (Osceola Parkway)
Melbourne (Babcock Street)
Georgia
Atlanta (Peachtree Road)
Douglasville (Douglas Blvd)
Duluth (Gwinnett Drive)
Valdosta
Indiana
Indianapolis (US-31)
Illinois
Rockford
Kentucky
Newport
Michigan
Flint (Miller Road)
Taylor
Missouri
St. Louis (7th Street)
North Carolina
Charlotte (South Blvd)
South Carolina
Columbia
Rock Hill
Tennessee
Murfreesboro
Memphis (Peabody Pl)
Nashville (Largo Drive)
Texas
Grapevine
Houston (Farm to Market 1960 Road)
San Marcos
USA Today has also noted that two additional storesFort Smith, Arkansas, and Madison, Wisconsinhave been delisted from the Hooters website, suggesting their closures.
What has Hooters said about the restaurant closures?
Fast Company has reached out to Hooters of America for comment on the reported closures and to ask for a full list and closure dates. We will update this post if we hear back.
In a statement to USA Today, the company said that the closures were of company-owned stores and were a “difficult decision.
‘Here to stay’
When it announced its bankruptcy in March 2025, Hooters of America published an FAQ about the restructuring, with one point stating that Hooters was here to stay.”
However, as Fast Company reported at the time, the companys press release on the matter left open the possibility that Hooters of America may indeed shutter locations as the bankruptcy process continued.
As part of the Companys broader business transformation and planning, Hooters is evaluating the Companys operational footprint as part of its financial restructuring process to position itself to invest its resources in its strongest assets moving forward, the company stated in the release.
It now appears that the company has indeed evaluated its operational footprint and has decided it is necessary for some stores to close.
Why did Hooters file for bankruptcy?
Its important to note that while in March there were 410 Hooters restaurants in 38 states and 24 countries, they arent all owned by the same company.
In America, many are owned by Hooters of America, which also owns the Hooters brand. However, the remainder of the locations in America are operated by franchisees, including Hooters Inc., which is one of the largest franchisees of the Hooters brand. Hooters Inc. is owned by the brand’s original co-founders.
It’s Hooters of America that sought bankruptcy protection and not Hooters Inc. or any other Hooters franchisee. As part of its bankruptcy process, Hooters of America plans to divest its ownership of physical Hooters stores and sell many of them to existing franchisees.
Hooters of America, LLC will then continue to operate as essentially a licensing company. It will strictly license its restaurants to franchisees and will cease operating locations directly.
Hooters transition from a partially directly owned restaurant chain to an entirely franchise-owned model comes after Hooters of America has faced struggles for years.
Many restaurant chains, including Red Lobster, Tijuana Flats, Buca di Beppo, and Roti, have turned to bankruptcy as they have faced similar struggles. Those struggles include higher costs due to inflationary pressures as well as reduced foot traffic from cost-conscious consumers cutting back on discretionary spending, such as dining out.
Hooters of America, LLC says it expects its bankruptcy proceeding to wrap up this summer. On June 10, the company will attend a conditional disclosure statement hearing and will face several additional hearings throughout the summer until August.
To attract the brightest minds to America, President Donald Trump proposed a novel idea while campaigning: If elected, he would grant green cards to all foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges.“It’s so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, from the greatest schools,” Trump said during a podcast interview last June. “That is going to end on Day One.”That promise never came to pass. Trump’s stance on welcoming foreign students has shifted dramatically. International students have found themselves at the center of an escalating campaign to kick them out or keep them from coming as his administration merges a crackdown on immigration with an effort to reshape higher education.An avalanche of policies from the Trump administrationsuch as terminating students’ ability to study in the U.S., halting all new student visa interviews and moving to block foreign enrollment at Harvardhave triggered lawsuits, countersuits and confusion. Foreign students say they feel targeted on multiple fronts. Late Wednesday, Trump himself took the latest action against international students, signing an executive order barring nearly all foreigners from entering the country to attend Harvard.In interviews, students from around the world described how it feels to be an international student today in America. Their accounts highlight pervasive feelings of fear, anxiety and insecurity that have made them more cautious in their daily lives, distracted them from schoolwork and prompted many to cancel trips home because they fear not being allowed to return.For many, the last few months have forced them to rethink their dreams of building a life in America.
A standout student from Latvia feels ‘expendable’
Markuss Saule, a freshman at Brigham Young University-Idaho, took a recent trip home to Latvia and spent the entire flight back to the U.S. in a state of panic.For hours, he scrubbed his phone, uninstalling all social media, deleting anything that touched on politics or could be construed as anti-Trump.“That whole 10-hour flight, where I was debating, ‘Will they let me in?’it definitely killed me a little bit,” said Saule, a business analytics major. “It was terrifying.”Saule is the type of international student the U.S. has coveted. As a high schooler in Latvia, he qualified for a competitive, merit-based exchange program funded by the U.S. State Department. He spent a year of high school in Minnesota, falling in love with America and a classmate who is now his fiancee. He just ended his freshman year in college with a 4.0 GPA.But the alarm he felt on that flight crushed what was left of his American dream.“If you had asked me at the end of 2024 what my plans were, it was to get married, find a great job here in the U.S. and start a family,” said Saule, who hopes to work as a business data analyst. “Those plans are not applicable anymore. Ask me now, and the plan to leave this place as soon as possible.”Saule and his fiancee plan to marry this summer, graduate a year early and move to Europe.This spring the Trump administration abruptly revoked permission to study in the U.S. for thousands of international students before reversing itself. A federal judge has blocked further status terminations, but for many, the damage is done. Saule has a constant fear he could be next.As a student in Minnesota just three years ago, he felt like a proud ambassador for his country.“Now I feel a sense of inferiority. I feel that I am expendable, that I am purely an appendage that is maybe getting cut off soon,” he said. Trump’s policies carry a clear subtext. “The policies, what they tell me is simple. It is one word: Leave.”
From dreaming of working at NASA to ‘doomscrolling’ job listings in India
A concern for attracting the world’s top students was raised in the interview Trump gave last June on the podcast “All-In.” Can you promise, Trump was asked, to give companies more ability “to import the best and brightest” students?“I do promise,” Trump answered. Green cards, he said, would be handed out with diplomas to any foreign student who gets a college or graduate degree.Trump said he knew stories of “brilliant” graduates who wanted to stay in the U.S. to work but couldn’t. “They go back to India, they go back to China” and become multi-billionaires, employing thousands of people. “That is going to end on Day One.”Had Trump followed through with that pledge, a 24-year-old Indian physics major named Avi would not be afraid of losing everything he has worked toward.After six years in Arizona, where Avi attended college and is now working as an engineer, the U.S. feels like a second home. He dreams of working at NASA or in a national lab and staying in America where he has several relatives.But now he is too afraid to fly to Chicago to see them, rattled by news of foreigners being harassed at immigration centers and airports.“Do I risk seeing my family or risk deportation?” said Avi, who asked to be identified by his first name, fearing retribution.Avi is one of about 240,000 people on student visas in the U.S. on Optional Practical Traininga postgraduation period where students are authorized to work in fields related to their degrees for up to three years. A key Trump nominee has said he would like to see an end to postgraduate work authorization for international students.Avi’s visa is valid until next year but he feels “a massive amount of uncertainty.”He wonders if he can sign a lease on a new apartment. Even his daily commute feels different.“I drive to work every morning, 10 miles an hour under speed limit to avoid getting pulled over,” said Avi, who hopes to stay in the U.S. but is casting a wider net. “I spend a lot of time doomscrolling job listings in India and other places.”
A Ukrainian chose college in America over joining the fight at homefor now
Vladyslav Plyaka came to the U.S. from Ukraine as an exchange student in high school. As war broke out at home, he stayed to attend the University of Wisconsin.He was planning to visit Poland to see his mother but if he leaves the U.S., he would need to reapply for a visa. He doesn’t know when that will be possible now that visa appointments are suspended, and he doesn’t feel safe leaving the country anyway.He feels grateful for the education, but without renewing his visa, he’ll be stuck in the U.S. at least two more years while he finishes his degree. He sometimes wonders if he would be willing to risk leaving his education in the United Statessomething he worked for years to achieveif something hppened to his family.“It’s hard because every day I have to think about my family, if everything is going to be all right,” he said.It took him three tries to win a scholarship to study in the U.S. Having that cut short because of visa problems would undermine the sacrifice he made to be here. He sometimes feels guilty that he isn’t at home fighting for his country, but he knows there’s value in gaining an education in America.“I decided to stay here just because of how good the college education is,” he said. “If it was not good, I probably would be on the front lines.”
AP Education Writer Collin Binkley contributed to this report.
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Jocelyn Gecker, AP Education Writer
Gone are the days when YouTube was just for catching up on vlogs or diving into late-night rabbit holes. Today, the platform is staking its claim in TV and film.
According to a new survey conducted by Looper Insights between April 16 and 25, 66% of consumers discover TV or film content via YouTube. For 61%, its already part of their regular streaming habits, and for 34%, it’s a main source for TV and film content, as reported by Media Play News.
This shift isnt surprising. In April, the Google-owned platform captured a record 12.4% share of all TV viewing. And its not just rival streamers who should be concerned. For three consecutive months, YouTube has ranked as the No. 1 distributor of television content, according to Nielsen.
Media executives are taking notice. Among the 65 surveyed, 84% view YouTube as a viable platform for launching long-form content, and 30% are actively considering it for upcoming releases.
In Q1 2025, more Americans watched YouTube on TV screens than on mobile devicesa first. Meeting audiences in the living room, media companies have begun uploading premium content directly to the platform. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. quietly released more than 30 full-length films on YouTube, free to watch.
Yet as YouTube continues its rise, creators face critical decisions. Some, like Ms Rachel, have signed licensing deals with Netflix. MrBeast (aka Jimmy Donaldson), YouTubes most-subscribed creator, brought Beast Games to the small screen via Prime Video.
Still, many fans would rather their favorite YouTubers stay where they started. More than half (54%) of respondents said YouTubers feel more authentic and better suited to the platform that launched their careers. Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters (74%) of executives noted that creator-led shows often underperform on platforms like Netflix and Prime, citing poor audience migration and an overreliance on follower counts.
The good news: The YouTube takeover is already in full swingso creators may not need to go anywhere at all.
